Smithsonian Books, in association with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), will release Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith to commemorate one of the most innovative 20th-century American jewelers. Art Smith (1917–1982) regarded the human body as its own design element. His bold and fluid designs redefined modernist jewelry and led him to create custom pieces for such high-profile individuals as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and jazz pianist Duke Ellington.
The book features 160 archival images and photos that highlight Smith’s life, career and the intricate details of his jewelry, including newly commissioned photography of his work, unpublished design sketches and personal and family photographs.
Essays from Smithsonian curator Joanne Hyppolite and art historian Toni Greenbaum explore his practice and his legacy, revealing an artist influenced by jazz, dance, visual art, pan-African regalia and postwar scientific discoveries. Bodyworks draws on two untapped archival collections held by NMAAHC, which includes biographical materials, and more than 60 jewelry pieces from the museum’s holdings, along with those of other museums and private collections. Smith was already a pioneer in his field as a Black, gay jeweler, but his work that moved to its own rhythm made him a trailblazer who continues to inspire artists. Bodyworks is a stunning, well-researched tribute to one of the jewelry world’s finest craftsmen.
About the Authors
Joanne Hyppolite is the assistant director for culture at NMAAHC, the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture. She is the curator of “Cultural Expressions,” a permanent exhibition that showcases Smith’s work. Under her direction, the museum has acquired two major archival collections on Smith.
Toni Greenbaum is an art historian specializing in 20th- and 21st-century jewelry and metalwork. She has written extensively on modernist jewelry, including Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry 1940–1960, considered the standard text on the subject.
About the Book
Title: Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith
On-Sale Date: 10/6/26
Price: $50.00 US / $66.00 CAN
Pages: 176
ISBN: 9781588348234
Available wherever books are sold.
Smithsonian Books